The present invention relates to shipping and travel aids such as scales used to measure luggage weight including, but not limited to, integrated weight and time measuring devices.
Increasing regulation of commercial shipping and personal travel, particularly by airplane, require convenient determination of container weight. For travelers, airline rules regarding baggage allowances and related fees can vary drastically from airline to airline and whether travel is domestic or international. Exceeding a luggage weight limit can be very expensive, particularly when a traveler must switch to a smaller regional budget carrier for a leg of their journey. Besides smaller carriers increasingly all carriers have tightened weight restrictions and required additional fees for exceeding weight limits. Some bags may be just too heavy for an airline to accept, so knowing and packing consistent with airline weight regulations before arrival at the airport is important.
Weight measuring devices such as scales and methods for use in determining the weight of containers, such as luggage, suitcases, boxes, briefcases, satchels for carrying electronic devices like computers, and audio and multimedia devices, and sports equipment bags and housings for holding such items as skis, golf clubs, and so forth are known. These devices typically include a weight-measuring element having a load-bearing mechanism for determining weight and a display element. Some load bearing mechanisms such as springs and other mechanical devices have been in use for a very long time. More recently strain gauges, load cells, and so forth are used in connection with electronic type scale devices. Depending on the type of scale, either mechanical or electronic displays are connected to the weight-measuring element. Scales including both the load bearing and display elements can be integrated into the container or piece of luggage. For example, the weight-measuring element can be in the handle or in one or more feet at the container bottom. The display can be mounted on the exterior of the container or luggage so as to be easily viewed. Alternatively, the weight measuring device that are capable of supporting and measuring the weight of the container or luggage can be completely separate from the container or luggage to be weighed.
Besides knowing luggage and container weights, time schedules are an inherent part of modern travel and shipping, particularly by air. For personal and business travel, particularly when faced with multiple time zones, a clock is an important item carried in the luggage of travelers. The clock, a separate device from the scale, includes a timing mechanism and a display. Increasingly, modern travel and shipping can include using two devices: a scale and a clock. For the traveler, this means carrying two devices that each takes up valuable luggage space and weight albeit small in many cases. Unless the devices are built into the container, a further inconvenience is the need to keep track of two devices.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that measures container weight and time in a single unit having a common display, yet is compact, lightweight, and easy to use.